


Surprise Proposal

by Jekkah



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-28
Updated: 2012-06-28
Packaged: 2017-11-08 19:15:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/446558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jekkah/pseuds/Jekkah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Garcia and Hotch walk in on Morgan proposing to JJ causing the split of two friendships. But is everything as it seems? THREE-SHOT Listed under JJ/Hotch, but is equally Morgan/Garcia</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: This was written for the Criminal Minds Weekly Prompts forum's Valentine's Day Edition Prompts. The prompt I choose was "Two of your characters get locked in a room, supply closet or ect. They talk and realize their feelings for each other." It's listed under JJ/Hotch, but it's equally a Morgan/Garcia story because the wonderful people on Facebook had me completely intrigued to do a Morgan/Garcia story.

"I swear, Boss Man, the file's right on my desk," Garcia said, nervously, leading Hotch towards her office. "If I had known you needed it tonight, I would have made sure that I got it to you."

"Garcia," Hotch sighed. She had been babbling since he caught her at the elevator just three minutes ago and it was threatening to give him a headache. "I didn't think I would need it, but my plans for tonight changed. Jack was invited to a sleepover, which leaves me nothing but work to do for the night."

Garcia stopped suddenly. "You shouldn't work then, Hotch. You should go out, have some fun. Why don't you call up that lady friend of yours?"

Hotch sighed again. "It didn't work out."

"Oh." Garcia started walking again. "Still, you should do something. Maybe get a drink at a-"

Garcia's voice trailed off as she opened the door to her office to a sight that took her breath away. Morgan was kneeling on one knee, a small box in the palm of his hand. His palm was outstretched to the beautiful Jennifer Jareau. Both Garcia and Hotch gasped at the scene.

"Oooh," JJ breathed out, cringing. She looked at Morgan to help explain, but he seemed frozen.

"I... just need... to... grab a folder," Garcia stuttered out. She quickly grabbed a folder from her desk and slammed it into Hotch's chest. She felt as if the entire world was crashing down on her. "Good night."

Garcia rushed from her office. After a beat, Morgan stood up, racing after her. "Penelope!"

JJ turned timidly to Hotch. She wasn't sure what she expected to see on Hotch's face, but the stunned hurt that was there wasn't it. She took a step towards him, saying his name, only to have him step backwards.

"Uh," Hotch began, trying to gather his thoughts together. He waved his hands in front of him with barely controlled anger, "just make sure you have all the paperwork filled out for whatever – this – is."

Hotch turned around and walked quickly away. JJ followed, catching up with him in the middle of the abandoned bullpen. She grabbed his shoulder to spin him around at the same time that Strauss called out, "Agent Hotchner, may I have a word?"

Hotch nodded, shrugging off JJ's hand. He followed Strauss towards her office, leaving a dejected JJ behind. She wasn't alone for long as Morgan joined her just a minute or so afterward.

"I couldn't catch her," Morgan told JJ.

"I told you we should have practiced your proposal in your office," JJ replied, folding her arms.

Morgan rubbed his head. "I needed to feel out the ambiance of her office to see if I should propose to her there."

JJ just stopped herself from rolling her eyes as she said, "Maybe should have proposed a date first. Maybe then, this whole thing wouldn't have happened."

"Jayje, I have known that she was the one for me for the last two and a half years. I have been waiting around, patiently, for her relationship with Lynch to be over, all the while playing the supportive friend. I have waited a respectful six months to ensure that she's over him, but I'm not taking my chances with just a date. I know she's the one for me, for the rest of our lives. I don't want to wait any longer for our life to begin."

"So, why are you standing here talking to me?" JJ smiled. "Go get your girl."

Morgan sucked in a breath between his teeth. "You don't think I should give her the night to cool off?"

JJ raised her left eyebrow. "You really think she's going to be any calmer tomorrow?"

"Good point." He walked a few feet away before stopping. "You want me to walk you to your car?"

"Nah. I'm going to wait for Hotch and let him know what's going on."

Morgan nodded before jogging to the elevator. JJ exhaled slowly before running her hands through her hair. She glanced around the bullpen, reassuring herself that it was empty. She debated where she should wait for him. Staying out here in the open seemed the most logical so that she could grab Hotch as soon as he came back, but there was no guarantee that he would come back alone. Scrunching her face, she resigned to waiting in his office.

JJ sat on the edge of his desk so that she would be the first thing he saw when he walked in. While she waited, she began to think over his reaction. She had expected shock. She hadn't expected hurt. She had expected that he would see the situation for what it was and be slightly amused. She most definitely didn't expect him to walk away from her.

Even if he actually thought her and Morgan were involved (and really? How could he?), why would he react with pain and anger? If anything, she thought he would lecture them on fraternization rules, but nothing else. True, they had grown closer over the last few months as the only two single parents on the team. Maybe his hurt was over the idea that she could be seriously involved with someone and not tell him.

Yes, that must be it, she thought to herself. Nothing else made sense. He was upset that his friend, his very good friend, had been hiding things from him. Or at least, he thought she had been hiding things from him. Well, she'd have it all cleared up as soon as he got back.

JJ glanced down at her watch and saw that nearly forty minutes had gone by. She moved to sit in his chair when a noise caused her to look up. She found Strauss staring coolly back at her.

"Agent Jareau, what are you doing in here?" Strauss asked her.

"I was waiting for Agent Hotchner, ma'am," JJ replied just as calmly.

Strauss walked past her to lay some paperwork on Hotch's desk. "Agent Hotchner has left for the night. I walked him to the elevator myself. You'll have to see him in the morning."

With a huff and a groan, JJ walked out of the office. She gathered her belongings before leaving the bullpen. She jumped into the car, glad that Will had taken Henry for the week. JJ drove to Hotch's house, intent on talking to him, only to find the house dark and no car in the driveway. After an hour of waiting, she gave up for the night, intending to talk to him first thing in the morning.


	2. Chapter 2

Inside her apartment, Garcia stomped back and forth in the living room, holding a fuzzy pen in her hand. When she got home, the first thing she had done was gone straight for the wine, but the second her hand touch the smooth, green bottle, it brought up memories of the last time she drank wine, which circled thoughts back to Morgan.

"JJ?" she shouted to the air, wiping away hot tears. "Really, Derek? Of all the women you could settle down with, you have to choose my best friend?" She broke the pen in half as she had with the previous three that she had held and threw it into the corner. "I mean, sure she's amazing and beautiful and fun, but I thought... I thought..."

Garcia collapsed on her couch. "I really thought we were getting somewhere after I broke up with Kevin. Haven't we spent almost all of our free time together? When did you even have time to have this deep relationship with JJ? And why didn't you tell me?"

She stood up again, grabbing another unbroken pen from the coffee table. She resumed her heavy pacing. She stopped suddenly when there was frantic knocking on her door. Garcia flung the door open to reveal Morgan standing in front of her, fear all over his face.

"What are you doing here?" Garcia stuttered, searching for anger over her surprise.

"I have to talk to you," he replied, his voice uneven.

Garcia turned from him, but didn't close the door as she stormed back into the living room leaving him to follow. "You know, I thought we were friends, Derek."

"We are friends," Morgan insisted.

"That's a complete lie, Agent Morgan," she retorted, causing him to wince at the formal name. "A friend would have told another friend that he was dating a third friend, especially if they were close enough to propose!" She took a deep breath. "And my office? Of all the places to propose to JJ, you have to choose my office."

"Penelope, I-"

"No!" Garcia roared. "I think you need to leave. Yeah, you need to leave right now. I only let my friends into my sanctuary and clearly, you are not one of them."

Morgan nearly tripped as Garcia began to push him towards the door. "Would you... Stop! Let me... Dammit, Woman! Would you stop and let me explain?"

Garcia froze at his frustrated tone of voice. She grimaced when he grabbed her upper arms and pulled her in close.

"I did not propose to JJ," he told her, using all his energy to keep himself as calm as possible.

"What are you talking about? I saw you." She gingerly tested his gripped and found she had no wiggle room.

Morgan closed his eyes briefly and licked his lips. "What you saw was me practicing my proposal with JJ. JJ and I are not seeing each other. We never have and we never will."

"Oh." Garcia felt relief flood through her body only to be doused with cold water. "Oh, so, you'll tell JJ about this new girl that you've been seeing but you won't tell me?"

Morgan groaned in frustration. "The only girl I've been seeing is you."

Garcia's eyebrows knitted in confusion. "I don't understand."

"If I release you, will you let me explain?" Garcia nodded. "Without interrupting or trying to push me out the door?" Again, she nodded, but a little slower. "Okay, then."

Morgan released her and let her take a step back. He took a deep breath. "I have been in love with you for at least the last two and a half years, probably longer."

"Wha-what?" Garcia exclaimed, but was quieted by a look from him.

"I don't know how it happened. I know I realized it when Haley passed away, when the only thing I wanted to do was pull you in my arms and never let you go. But you were with Kevin and you were happy. There was absolutely no way I was interfering with your happiness. So, I stood by. I played the dutiful best friend. I even pushed you back to him when you had that fight seven months because I knew you weren't ready to let the relationship go."

Morgan paused. "But a month later, you broke it off with him all on your own, but I knew I had to wait. I knew I had to give you time grieve the relationship. Last week, you started talking about going out with a guy you met the last time you went out with JJ and Emily and I knew you were ready."

Garcia's eyes grew wide taking in everything he was saying. Her mind sputtered, overwhelmed.

"I could ask you for a date and we could do the whole courtship and if that's what you want, I absolutely will. But I think we're beyond that. There is nobody in this world that knows me like you do. There is nobody in this world I want to spend my life with but you. I love you, Penelope Garcia."

"You love me?" she repeated, faintly.

"You are the most amazing woman I know or could ever hope to know. I want to go to sleep at night with you in my arms and wake up the same way. I want to spend Saturdays exploring this crazy world with you and Sundays exploring just you. Someday, I want you to have my children."

Garcia let out a nearly inaudible squeak.

Morgan knelt down on one knee, pulling the velvet box from his pocket. "Penelope Margaret Garcia, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes," she whispered without hesitation.

"Yes?"

"Yes!" she shouted. She threw her arms around his neck, causing them both to tumble to the floor. She covered his mouth with hers, forcing his lips open. A shudder ran through her body as she tasted him for the first time. He was completely addicting and she just wanted more of him.

Morgan attempted to break the kiss. "Penel- Penelope!" She continued to kiss along his jaw. "Penelope, wait!"

"What?" she looked at him with fire in her eyes.

"Can I at least put the ring on?"

She smiled and held out her hand. "Of course, you can."

Morgan slide the ring slowly onto her finger. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She squealed as he flipped her over, capturing her mouth with his. Her heart was so happy she thought it would burst. She didn't know what she did to deserve this moment, but she never wanted it to end.


	3. Chapter 3

"He's not there," Rossi told JJ as she made her way towards Hotch's office, early the next morning.

"What?" JJ couldn't hide the shock on her face. Hotch was always there before her. Always.

Rossi shrugged. "He called in sick."

JJ opened her mouth to respond, but was stopped by the shrill voice of Garcia calling out her name. JJ turned to find herself in Garcia's hard embrace.

"Oh, Jayje! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Garcia gushed. "I am so sorry for everything I said about you in my head! I am so, so happy!"

"I'm thrilled for you," JJ told her, smiling at her best friend's excitement.

Garcia grabbed her hands, making sure no one else could hear her. "We're going to tell everyone in a few days. We want to take the team out for dinner, make a big deal out of it."

"Sounds wonderful." She glanced back at Hotch's empty office. "Look, I'm going to run to Hotch's real quick. I need to-"

"Sorry, JJ," Morgan said, walking up to the two of them. He winked at Garcia before growing serious. "No time. We've got a kidnapping of an eight-year-old girl in Milwaukee. Everyone in the conference room."

JJ groaned aloud, wondering why the universe was so against her telling Hotch the truth. She feared that every minute she let this lie go on was one more minute he considered severing the friendship that they had built lately. That thought made her entire insides hurt. She rarely went a day without spending time with him, seeing his smile, hearing his laugh anymore. He was freer with her than she had ever seen him with anyone and the thought of him hiding in himself once again made her nauseous.

"Come on, JJ," Morgan said, startling her from her thoughts. "We'll call him and see if he wants to meet us at the plane."

JJ nodded, following Morgan and Garcia unto the conference room with her game face on. She forced herself to keep her mind on the case while they were reviewing it. When they reached the plane, however, and Rossi informed them that he had talked with Hotch and Hotch wasn't coming on this case, her thoughts turned back to him. The sinking feeling in her stomach grew.

The team returned victorious three days later and no one had talked to Hotch except Rossi, who would only say that Hotch was ill. Garcia had gone with them on this case, but a quick call to Anderson had affirmed that Hotch was in the office. Afraid that Hotch would avoid her yet again, JJ and Garcia devised a plan to stop that from happening.

"Hi Hotch," Garcia said, walking into his office.

"Garcia," he replied, evenly. "I hear you were invaluable in saving Whitney Stover."

Garcia blushed. "Well, thank you, sir. That means a lot. I actually I was hoping you could help me with something. I need to get something from the top shelf of the office supply closet."

"And no one else could help you?" Hotch sighed.

"Reid and Rossi have already left and I'm not exactly talking to Morgan right now," she lied. "Please, Hotch?"

Hotch nodded and followed her to the supply closet. He took a small step inside only to freeze when he saw JJ standing there. He moved to turn around, but Garcia shoved him the rest of the way in and slammed the door. Hotch frantically turned the doorknob, only to find it locked.

"You can give it up, Hotch," JJ said quietly. "I asked her to lock us in here."

"You what?" Hotch said, facing her.

She recoiled at the fire in his eyes, before steeling herself. "You haven't answered or returned any of my phone calls since you found Morgan and me in Garcia's office. This was the only way I could make sure you wouldn't avoid me again."

Hotch lowered his eyes, focusing on the floor. "I haven't been avoiding you, JJ. I've been sick."

"Uh-huh," JJ mocked. "But not too sick to take calls from Rossi."

He shrugged. "Dave would have told me if you needed something for the case."

"What if I needed something for me? So what? Someone proposes to me and we can't be friends?" She knew she should tell him the truth, but she wanted to get to the bottom of his hurt and anger first.

"I'm your boss. We're friendly."

JJ ran her hands through her hair to cover her annoyance at his avoidance. "Really? This is the way you're going to play it?"

Hotch nodded. "Can you get Garcia to let us out now?"

"No." JJ put her hand on her hip.

"No?" he repeated, stunned.

JJ shook her head. "Garcia's under strict orders not to let you out until I say so, even if it means watching Jack and Henry tonight. And I'm not letting you out until we talk this out."

Hotch rubbed his forehead. "What do you want from me, JJ?"

"I want you to tell me why you were so hurt and angry when you thought Morgan was proposing to me," JJ said, softly.

"Thought?"

JJ ignored him. "I mean, I had assumed that you were mad because we're friends, but now you're telling me that we're not friends, even though we spend almost every weekend together with the boys and have dinner and lunch together a few times a week. We're not friends, even though I've told you more about myself, my life, my dreams than I've ever told anyone and I thought you had done the same with me. We're not-"

"JJ!" Hotch said, forcefully, grabbing her upper arms. It was clear he had calling her name for a bit. He brought her close to him, his eyes half-closing as her scent overwhelmed him. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Are you or are you not engaged to Derek Morgan?"

"Of course not," she replied. "What's it to you?"

Hotch leaned down and kissed her gently. He pulled back, searching her eyes to see if she would push him away. JJ looked from his eyes to his lips and back. He leaned down again, kissing her again, longer this time. He increased pressure steadily until she opened to him. He conquered her mouth with intoxicating kisses until she was completely breathless.

"What was that?" JJ asked, her breathing heavy. She placed her hands on his chest to steady herself.

"I love you," he told her. "I have for awhile. I just didn't know how to tell you."

JJ grinned widely as she told him, "Well, I guess it's a good time to tell you that I love you, too." She pulled him to her once again.

"Hey, baby girl," Morgan said, walking up to Garcia who was still standing outside of the closet. He grabbed her shoulders to bring her close to him, placing a kiss on her forehead. "What's going on?"

"I think," she laughed, "that we're not going to be the only ones with an announcement at dinner next week."

Morgan opened his mouth to question her further when he heard a thump from the closet followed by JJ's giggle and Hotch's moan. "JJ and Hotch? Seriously?"

"Yep."

"Wow," he whistled. He looked back down at the beautiful blond in his arms, trying to remember another time he was so happy. "What do you say we go home and continue last night's celebration?"

Garcia grabbed his hand and marched him towards the elevator. "Absolutely, but this time, I get to lead."

THE END


End file.
